The Helly Hansen Ascender Mid is a good-looking hiking boot that just debuted in 2025. I was excited to test and review this newcomer because I didn't know what to expect. Helly has a stellar reputation for snow gear, but I hadn't ever tried the brand's hiking footwear. The Ascender looked great online—like a spiffed up Salomon hiking boot—but it didn't feel or perform like a Salomon when I tested it in the field. My Helly Hansen Ascender Mid review gives you an in-depth analysis of this boot's performance across the board.
Testing the Helly Hansen Ascender hiking boot on La Luz Trail outside Albuquerque
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Helly Hansen Ascender Mid Review
My Helly Hansen Ascender Mid review gives hikers my first-hand take on this boot's support, comfort, fit, weather protection, traction, and overall value after 30 miles of test hikes. In the spring and summer of 2025, I tested the Ascender hiking boot on several 5-8 mile day hikes outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, including the Embudito and La Luz trails. I deliberately chose trails that varied in difficulty and terrain to determine the boot's pros and cons. Plus, I weighed them on my kitchen scale and conducted a one-hour waterproofing test at home. As always, my reviews are 100% independent and based on my first-hand hiking experience and my professional experience in the outdoor gear industry.
Testing comfort and support on a rocky New Mexico trail
Support
Given its resemblance to the Salomon Quest, I expected the Helly Hansen Ascender to score high for foot and ankle support. But looks can be deceiving. The Quest is a stiff hiking and backpacking boot with reasonably sturdy ankle collars. The Ascender has more flex in the soles and in the ankles than a traditional hiking boot. That means less support than many mid-cut hiking boots on the market.
Based on my test hikes, I wouldn't choose the Ascender if stability and support are high on your list. It's not stiff enough to lock down your ankles or take pressure off your feet. At the same time, its torsional rigidity isn't bad. Twice I felt my ankle start to roll over on steep sidehill trails, but I felt the lateral support kick in to help my ankle self-correct without getting sprained. Even so, Ascender lags behind many hiking boots in support—especially when you consider its weight.
The Ascender is a mid-weight hiking boot (2 lb 12 oz/ pair)
Weight
The Helly Hansen Ascender is a midweight hiking boot. My pair (men's size 13) weight 2 lbs 12 oz—average for a hiking boot in my size.
At this point, it's clear that Helly hikers may look similar to Salomons, but their build is quite different. Salomon stands out for providing good support at relatively light weights. In contrast, the Ascender provides comparatively less support at a heavier weight.
The Helly Hansen Ascender has a standard fit
Fit
The best I can tell, the Ascender runs true to size with a standard width—not as narrow as most European brands. Unfortunately, I sized up extra to compensate for my wider feet—assuming that Helly ran narrow—which meant my test pair was too big for me. If you have standard to narrow feet, sizing up a half-size may be enough. Wide-footed hikers might try sizing up 1 full size from their everyday shoe size or going with ones of these hiking boots with wide fits.
This flexible hiking boot is most comfortable on groomed trails
Comfort
Comfort may be this boot's best quality. With more mid-foot flex than you'd expect from a mid-weight, the Ascender may feel more comfortable on well maintained trails than stiffer, more supportive hiking boots. By the same token, your feet might fatigue more quickly on tougher terrain, given that mid-foot flex point. They'll bend more and work harder in the Ascender than in stiffer, more traditional hiking boots. I found the cushioning good but added Superfeet insoles for more foot support and volume (since I ordered my pair too big).
Comfort boils down to fit, your hiking style, and your personal preferences. If you have standard-sized feet, mostly stick to well maintained trails, and prefer a more flexible hiking boot to a more supportive one, the Ascender may be a good match for you.
Moisure seaped through the Helly Tech waterpoofing in 1 hour
Weather Protection
The Ascender hiking boot features Helly's proprietary Helly Tech waterproofing—not GORE-TEX. As with all hiking boots, the waterproof membrane doesn't extend to the top of the boots (to leave room to slip your feet in and out.) I measured between 5 and 6 inches of waterproof protection to the top of the membrane.
With New Mexico in drought during my test hikes, I couldn't truly test this waterproofing in the field. Instead, I weighted my boots down in the sink to submerge them in standing water up to the top of the waterproof membrane. At the end of my one-hour test, water had clearly seaped inside my boots through the waterproofing. You could see discoloration inside the boot right at the waterline and obvious puddling at the bottom. Moisture had also wicked up the uppers into non-waterproof ankle collars, which were dripping wet. These boots failed what should have been an easy waterproofing test.
Moderate lugs made for multi-surface traction
Traction
The Ascender hiking boot delivered decent traction across my test hikes. This boot's tread pattern favors muddy and snowy trails with relatively deep and widely spaced lugs. However, I was happy with its tread on my desert mountain hikes.
The boot's heel brake helped me dig into loose gravel and scree on steep descents down the Pino Trail and Oso Ridge. The deeper lugs had decent edges to them, which also helped with sand and scree. The width of the lugs gave me better than expected traction on smooth rocks in Embudito Canyon—but rocky terrain isn't the best match for this boot's outsoles. Overall, this Helly Hansen Ascender has moderate traction that's appropriate for multi-surface trails.
The Ascender is also available in black for men and women
Value
With a MSRP of $220, the Helly Hansen Ascender HT costs a pretty penny. Plus, its performance didn't stand out in my testing. That being said, this boot's price is comparable to two similar hiking boots I've tested and reviewed: the Merrell Rogue Hiker ($230) and On Cloudrock ($220). You may be able to find this boot on sale at the links below:
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Men's Helly Hansen Ascender Mid HT
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Women's Helly Hansen Ascender Mid HT
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Helly Hansen Ascender Mid Helly Tech hiking boots: Pros and Cons
My Helly Hansen Ascender review revealed several pros and cons for this new hiking boot for 2025:
Should you buy the Helly Hansen Ascender hiking boots?
The Helly Hansen Ascender Mid HT may be a good hiking boot for you if like its looks and comfortable feel. Its comfort and traction are good, but its weight-to-support ratio and waterproofing issues leave much to be desired. Serious hikers probably want more performance out of their hiking boots. That being said, I enjoyed wearing my pair on the easier, switchback sections of the Pino and La Luz trails. I'm comfortable recommending the Ascender to more casual hikers who prefer a less technical hiking boot with plenty of flex for added comfort on easier trails that don't require much stability or support. Similar to the ON Cloudrock, the Helly Hansen Ascender may also have some everyday appeal for those who work on their feet or want an approachable hiking boot to wear from the trail to the tavern.
